India, Aug. 2 -- In a major blow to Indian football, Jamshedpur FC has shut down its senior first-team operations ahead of the 2026-27 Indian Super League (ISL) season after declining to accept the league's new commercial structure. The shocking withdrawal prompted former national team captain Sunil Chhetri to break a nearly year-long social media silence on Sunday, issuing a desperate public plea for the TATA Group to reverse its decision.
The decision by Tata Steel leaves dozens of players and coaching staff without contracts right before the new season, reducing the ISL's team count and stripping the top tier of one of its core corporate backers. The TATA Group cited financial unviability under the ISL's newly introduced club-led commer...